User guide

HP Performance Advisor

Table of contents

3 Getting started

3 Administrator privileges

3 Internet access

3 Launching

3 Auto update

4 Navigation

4 Utility Menu items

5 White Paper Index

5 Your computer

5 Block Diagram

6 ConfigurationDetails

7 ConfigurationReport

7 GPU Utilization

8 System BIOS

8 System Sensors

9 Your Software

10 Supported applications

11 Your performance

11 Memory Usage Graph

12 Workstation Monitor

13 RecordPerformanceData

14 Play Back Performance Data

15 Play Back Plot

17 Windows Experience Index

18 Tableoffigures

User guide | Performance Advisor

Welcome to HP Performance Advisor.1 HP Performance Advisor is designed to optimize your HP Workstation experience by providing information and tools thatbenefittheadministratorandend-user.

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User guide | Performance Advisor

Getting started

HP Performance Advisor1 is supported on the HP Workstation family:

• Desktop workstations – Z230 SFF / Z230 Tower, Z220 SFF / Z220 CMT, Z420, Z620, Z820

• All-in-Oneworkstations–Z1,Z1G2

• Mobile workstations – ZBook 14, ZBook 15, ZBook 17, 8470w, 8570w, 8770w

The program may be run with limited functionality and support on other HP personal computers. HP Performance Advisor website: hp.com/go/hpperformanceadvisor

Administrator privilegesAdministrator privileges are required to run HP Performance Advisor. The user must be part of the“Administrators”Group.SeeWindowsControlPanel->SystemandSecurity->UserAccountControlformoreinformation.Windows7and8UserAccountControl(UAC)notifiesyoubeforechangesaremadetoyourcomputerthatrequiresadministrator-levelpermission.

Internet accessInternet access to HP’s web server is required to provide full functionality. The web server contains the latest database, white papers, and graphics drivers. Your local network may require a web proxy server to access web pages outside of your network, in which case the user may be prompted to enter the name of a web proxy server when launching HP Performance Advisor. The standard HTTP port 80 connection is used to access the HPwebserver.TheadministratorcancheckforwebbrowserconnectivityusingthisURL: http://isvpatch.external.hp.com/Advisor/

HP Performance Advisor will function without internet access but will be missing information on the latest applications and workstation features. In addition, the white paper and graphics driver download feature will not be available.

LaunchingHPPerformanceAdvisorcanbestartedfromtheWindowsStartMenu>AllPrograms>HP.Alternatively, it can be started from an administrator command prompt by typing “Advisor.” See the online help for command line options.

Auto updateAt startup, HP Performance Advisor will check the web server for the latest version of the database and application. HP Performance Advisor will automatically install the latest version of the database and application.

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NavigationHP Performance Advisor1 is organized into three main sections: Your Computer, Your Software, and Your Performance

Quick access to the main functions

Utility Menu and home page buttons

Utility Menu items

Usetheright-mousebuttontoaccess features of the block diagram component

User guide | Performance Advisor

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Table 1 Navigation hints

Utility Menu itemsAbout Displays the application version, database time stamp, and an email alias

(ap-assist@hp.com)tocontacttheHPPerformanceAdvisor1 development team

Help Mode Turnshelponandoff

Install Update Installs the latest application and database

Network Info Displaysthedatabaseconnectionstatus.Allowstheusertosettheweb-proxyURL,port, and optional authentication.

White Paper index Accesstoknowledge-baseddocuments

Command Line Command line options

Improvement Program

Optionally participate in the Improvement Program. Basic system information is sent to the HP web server each time HP Performance Advisor is started. No personal data is included.

Table 2 Utility Menu

User guide | Performance Advisor

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White Paper IndexTheWhitePaperIndexprovidesaccesstoknowledge-baseddocumentsrelatedto HP Workstations, ISV software applications, software, and hardware components. The White Paper Index can be accessed from the utility menu or the home page.

Your ComputerThree views provide insight into the workstation’s hardware components, system management BIOS, and software components such as device drivers. The three views include the Block Diagram,ConfigurationDetails,andConfigurationReport.

Block DiagramThe Block Diagram view is available for HP Z Workstations, HP ZBook Mobile Workstations, and HP EliteBook Mobile Workstations. It provides a visual representation of the architecture of the workstation and installed components.

Figure 1 White Paper Index

Figure 2 An example of a Z820 block diagram.

User guide | Performance Advisor

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Click on a component icon to examine further details. Selectable component icons include model, CPU, chipset, graphics, BIOS, sensors, and storage devices.

Configuration DetailsTheConfigurationDetailsviewisavailableforallHPWorkstations.ThefirstpartoftheConfigurationDetailspageconsistsofasummaryoftheworkstation’sconfiguration,anditprovides the most commonly required information at a glance. This view provides further details for hardware components and is organized in an expandable table format.

Figure 3 An example of component details. Details vary by component.

Figure4AnexampleoftheConfigurationDetailswindows.

User guide | Performance Advisor

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Configuration ReportTheConfigurationReportviewisavailableforallHPWorkstations.Thisviewprovidesfurtherdetails for hardware components in a contiguous document format. For example, this document carries almost everything there is to know about the workstation, and is therefore a useful tool forcommunicatingyoursystem’sconfigurationtoasupportengineer.TheconfigurationreportcanbesavedtofileinXAMLortextformat.TheXAMLformattedfilecanbeemailed,shared,andsupported by most web browsers.

GPU UtilizationThe GPU Utilization window is accessible from the graphics card component in the block diagram andalsothegraphicscardexpandablesectionintheconfigurationdetailsview.

Figure5AnexampleoftheConfigurationReportwindow.

Figure 6 An example of the GPU Utilization window.

User guide | Performance Advisor

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System BIOSThe System BIOS window is accessible from the BIOS icon in the block diagram or the BIOS expandablesectionintheconfigurationdetailsview.TheadministratorcanviewandmodifyBIOS settings, create a custom group, and restore factory defaults. Any BIOS changes made herewilltakeeffectonrebootingtheworkstation.

System SensorsThe System Sensors window is available for HP Z Desktop Workstations and is accessible from thesystemmodeliconintheblockdiagramorthesystemoverviewpanelintheconfigurationdetails view. Clicking on the sensors button opens a popup window which shows the current thermal status of the workstation, including fan speeds and temperatures. The sensor window willreportavaryingnumberofsensorsdependingonyoursystemconfiguration.

Figure 7 An example of the System BIOS window.

Figure 8 An example of the System Sensors window.

User guide | Performance Advisor

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Your SoftwareThe Your Software section is accessible from the home page. Its default view displays iconsrepresentingthevendorsofthecertifiedapplicationswhicharecurrentlyinstalled on the workstation.

Clickingonavendor’siconopensawindowwhichdisplaysalistofcertifiedapplications.Anapplicationspecificwindowisavailableforeachcertifiedapplicationsinstalledonyoursystem.Theapplicationspecificpagemayincludethefollowingfeatures:

•Viewthegraphicsdriverstatusandifneededdownloadcertifiedgraphicsdrivers.This provides an easy way to ensure that the application is running in the environment it was certifiedfor.

•ApplyrecommendedsystemBIOSsettingsforcertifiedapplicationstooptimizeperformance and stability.

•Application-specificdiagnosticandtuningtoolsareavailableforselectapplications.Insome cases,application-relatedwhitepapersareavailable.

Figure 9 An example of the Your Software window.

User guide | Performance Advisor

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Supported applications

Adobe®AfterEffects AutodeskVREDDesignAdobe Photoshop® AutodeskVREDProfessionalAdobe Premiere Pro AVEVATM Solutions MarineANSYSTMANSYSCFX AVEVA Solutions PDMS ANSYS ANSYS Fluent AVEVA Solutions Plant ANSYS ANSYS Mechanical AVEVASolutionsReviewAutodesk® 3ds Max® Avid Media Composer Autodesk Alias® Avid Pro Tools Autodesk Alias Automotive Bentley AECOsim Building DesignerAutodesk Alias Design Bentley MicroStation Autodesk Alias Sketch Bentley NavigatorAutodesk Alias Surface Bentley WaterCAD Autodesk AliasStudio CakewalkSONARX1EssentialAutodesk AutoCAD® CakewalkSONARX1ProducerAutodesk AutoCAD Architecture CakewalkSONARX1StudioAutodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D Dassault Systemes CATIA+ Autodesk AutoCAD Electrical Dassault Systemes eDrawings Autodesk AutoCAD Land Desktop Dassault Systemes PhotoView 360 Autodesk AutoCAD LT Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Autodesk AutoCAD Map 3D Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Motion Autodesk AutoCAD Mechanical Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Simulation Autodesk AutoCAD MEP Dynamic Graphics CoViz 4DAutodesk AutoCAD P&ID Dynamic Graphics EarthVisionAutodesk AutoCAD Plant 3D ESRI®ArcGISAutodeskAutoCADRasterDesign GoogleTM Earth Autodesk AutoCAD Structural Detailing Google SketchUp Pro Autodesk Composite Hewlett-PackardHPRemoteGraphicsReceiverAutodeskDesignReview Hewlett-PackardHPRemoteGraphicsSenderAutodesk HSMWorks Intel®RapidStorageTechnologyAutodesk Infraworks IntergraphERDASImagineAutodesk Inventor® Intergraph GeoMedia Autodesk Inventor Professional Intergraph GeoMedia Viewer Autodesk Maya Paradigm Advanced Subsurface SoftwareAutodesk Mechanical Desktop Paradigm GOCAD Autodesk MotionBuilder Paradigm SKUA Autodesk Mudbox Parallels Parallels Workstation Extreme Autodesk Navisworks Freedom PTC® CoCreate Modeling Autodesk Navisworks Manage PTC Creo Direct Autodesk Navisworks Simulate PTC Creo Elements/Direct Modeling AutodeskPCPerformanceRating PTC Creo Elements/Pro AutodeskRevitArchitecture PTC Creo Parametric AutodeskRevitMEP PTC Creo Simulate AutodeskRevitStructure PTCPro/ENGINEERWildfireAutodesk Showcase® Red®DigitalCinemaREDCINE-XProAutodesk Simulation CFD Schlumberger Petrel Autodesk Simulation Mechanical SiemensPLMSNXTMAutodesk SketchBook Designer SiemensPLMSNXI-deasAutodesk Softimage Siemens PLMS Solid Edge AutodeskVRED

User guide | Performance Advisor

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Your performance

Memory Usage GraphThe Memory Usage Graph is an interactive color enhanced view of the system memory usage. The per process memory usage is shown in a both a graph and table format. Programs that are associatedwithcertifiedapplicationsareautomaticallyhighlighted.Tool-tipsreportdetailedprocess information when the pointer is located over a highlighted process. Additional functions suchascapacitymetersandprocessaffinityareshownbyright-clickingonahighlightedprocess in the table.

Figure 10 An example of the Memory Usage Graph window.

User guide | Performance Advisor

Workstation MonitorThe Workstation Monitor is useful for recording system and application resource usage over a period of time such as a typical work day, while running an application benchmark, orinvestigatingsystemsizingcriteriawhilerunningaseriesofapplicationsandworkflows.

Overview:

• Set the duration.• Optionally choose applications to watch.• Start recording performance data.

• A Workstation Monitor icon will be located in the system task tray while recording performance data.

• At the end of recording period, a new log notification,summary of resource usage, high-resourceusagealert button,andtime-based plot will become available.• Use the plot play back window to review usage over a period of time, view top resource consumers for each sample period, and view devicespecificdetails.

1. Configure and start recording resource usage with HP Performance Advisor.

2. Run the workloads, benchmarks, and applications you are interested in measuring.

3. Analyze, and play back resource usage history with Performance Advisor.

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User guide | Performance Advisor

Record Performance DataUsetherecordPerformanceDatawindowtoconfigureandstarttheWorkstationMonitor.

TheWorkstationMonitoriconislocatedinthesystemtraywhileitisinrecordmode.Right-clickthe Workstation Monitor icon to access additional Workstation Monitor features.

Workstation Monitor Action menu Item

Show current activity Open the Workstation Monitor recording window. The recording window displays a time based plot with up to 10 minutes of performance data samples.

Addanotetothelogfile Enteranoteintotheperformancelogatspecifictimesorevents.

Closelognow ThecurrentperformancelogfileisclosedbytheWorkstation Monitor and made available to HP Performance Advisor. TheWorkstationMonitorcontinuesrecordinginanewlogfile.

Stop capture and exit Stops the Workstation Monitor. The current performance log is closed and made available to HP Performance Advisor.

Figure11AnexampleoftheWorkstationMonitorRecordPerformanceDatawindow.

Figure 12 The Workstation Monitor icon and runtime options.

Table 3 Workstation Monitor runtime options.

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User guide | Performance Advisor

Play Back Performance DataThe Play Back Performance Data button will be highlighted yellow when a new performance logfilebecomesavailabletoHPPerformanceAdvisor.1 A new log becomes available when the Workstation Monitor completes the recording period, when the Workstation Monitor is manually stopped,orthecurrentlogfileismanuallyclosed.

The Play Back Performance Data window displays a list of previously recorded performance logs. Each performance log includes a button to open the play back plot window, a performance alertnotification,exportanddeletebuttons,andatextualsummary.

Figure13Anexampleofthenewlogfilenotification.

Figure 14 An example of Workstation Monitor Play Back Performance Data window.

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User guide | Performance Advisor

Eachperformancelogisanalyzedandassignedaperformancealertnotification.

Noalertsfoundinlogfile Performanceissuefoundinlogfile.

TheperformancelogisaplaintextfilelocatedintheWindowsapplicationdatafolder. Nopersonalidentifiableinformationisincluded.

Eachperformancelogcanbeexportedtoatextfile. Exportbutton.

Thetextfilecanthenbeimportedintoanother Importbutton administrator system.

Figure15Anexampleoflogfilebutton.

Figure 16 Import and export performance logs

Play Back Plot windowThe Play Back Plot window displays:

•Atime-basedplotfortheselectedsamples.Theselectedsamplesdisplayedintheplot windowcanbeeitherallofthesamplesrecordedintheperformancelogorauser-selected subset of the total samples. A subset of samples can be selected by using the zoom function. Pointing the mouse on the plot will highlight a single sample period.

• A column of expanders organized by performance category and device type. The current value column displays the performance value for the highlighted sample. The average and maximum values are determined from the selected samples displayed in the plot.

Zoomfunction:Theusercanzoom-inonselectedsamplesbyright-clickingandslidingthemouseoverthedesiredsamples.Shift+right-mousewillun-zoom.

Plotcontrol:Performancemetricsrepresentedbyrelativecapacity(0-100%)canbeshownoromitted on the plot by using the check box and the plot line color can be adjusted by the color palette button.

Figure 17 An example of the Play Back Plot window showing system and application CPU usage.

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User guide | Performance Advisor

Alert button: Located on the plot window is an alert button. The alert button will open a window to explain the potential performance limitation and possible remedies.

Figure 18 An example of an alert that reports high GPU usage.

Notes: During the recording period, the Workstation Monitor allows the user to enter notes into thelogfile.Forexample,thenotescandesignatethestartorendofaspecificactivity.Duringplay back the note will appear at the top of the play back plot window. Each note is designated by a yellow sticky icon and a dashed vertical line. Hovering over the note icon will show the content.

Figure 19 An example of the Play Back Plot window that includes several user added notes.

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User guide | Performance Advisor

Figure 20 An example of the details available from the WEI test.

Windows Experience IndexHP Performance Advisor1 provides a more detailed look at the Windows Experience Index (WEI). The WEI is useful for establishing a base rating and then running it periodically as new software, driver,OS,orhardwarecomponentsareaddedormodified.TheprogramexposesdetailsoftheWEIresultsshowingspecificsub-scoresthathavebeenrunoneachofthemaincomponents.

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User guide | Performance Advisor

Sign up for updates hp.com/go/getupdated

©Copyright2014Hewlett-PackardDevelopmentCompany,L.P.Theinformationcontainedhereinissubjecttochangewithoutnotice.Theonlywarranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

AMD is a trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Adobe and Creative Cloud are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Autodesk, Autodesk Product Design Suite, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Showcase and 3ds Max are registered trademarks or trademarks ofAutodesk,Inc.,and/oritssubsidiariesand/oraffiliatesintheUSAandothercountries.Avid,theAvidlogo,Eleven,FluidMotion,M-Audio,Mbox,NewsCutter,Nitris,ProTools,ProTools|HD,ProToolsM-PoweredandSpectraMattearetrademarksorregisteredtrademarksofAvidTechnology,inc.oritssubsidiariesintheUnitedStatesand/orothercountries.REDandallothertrademarks,servicemarks,tradenameslogos,andproductnamesofREDusedonthissitearetrademarksorregisteredtrademarksofRed.com,Inc.intheUSAandothercountries.ESRIandArcGISaretrademarks,servicemarks,orregisteredtrademarksor service marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

4AA5-1659ENW,April2014

Table of figures.

Figure 1 White Paper Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Figure 2 An example of a Z820 Block Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Figure 3 An example of component details. Details vary by component .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Figure4AnexampleoftheConfigurationDetailswindows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Figure5AnexampleoftheConfigurationReportwindow.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Figure 6 An example of the GPU Utiliation window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Figure 7 An example of the System BIOS window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Figure 8 An example of the System Sensors window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Figure 9 An example of the Your Software window .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Figure 10 An example of the Memory Graph window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Figure11AnexampleoftheWorkstationMonitorRecordPerformanceDatawindow. . . . . . . . .13

Figure 12 The Workstation Monitor icon and runtime options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Figure13Anexampleofthenewlogfilenotification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Figure 14 An example of Workstation Monitor Play Back Performance Data window . . . . . . . . . .14

Figure15Anexampleoflogfilebutton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Figure 16 Import and export performance logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Figure 17 An example of the Play Back Plot window showing system

and application CPU usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Figure 18 An example of an alert that reports high GPU usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Figure 19 An example of the Play Back Plot window that includes several user added notes .. .16

Figure 20 An example of the details available from the WEI test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

1. Internet access required.